


Only half a heart without you

by Gothic_witchy_girl



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: The Next Generation (Movies)
Genre: Deep Space Nine - Freeform, F/F, F/M, Falling In Love, Friends to Lovers, Love Confessions, True Love, space
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-14
Updated: 2020-01-22
Packaged: 2020-10-18 16:21:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 14,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20642105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gothic_witchy_girl/pseuds/Gothic_witchy_girl
Summary: A Vulcan and a Betazoid, two very different species and two very different people, but they fell in love. It was never easy for these two, and it still probably won't be since they will have to see each other everyday now in the star base Deep Space Nine.





	1. Can we talk?

Skallor _would_ be very happy when the USS Berlin docked on Deep Space Nine after a nine hour voyage. He _would_ be very happy, if he weren’t Vulcan, that is, but he was definitely _pleased_. He looked around after getting out of the airlock and found Colonel Kira staring at him with a smile present on her face. She walked towards and extended her hand out for a hand shake, but immediately retreated, as even a handshake was intimate for a Vulcan.

“Welcome to the station Ensign Skallor, if you’d accompany me, I’ll take you to your quarters.” The Colonel smiled and pointed her arm to an unknown corridor.

“Thank you Colonel, that is quite acceptable.” He nodded and followed along with her, silent, not uttering a word, but he couldn’t hold a gasp as he was met with a familiar face, that of the lovely Betazoid woman he was still deeply in love with.

“_Imzadi_…” Norra Troi whispered, breathless. Neither of them could comprehend the situation. It had been a year since they had last seen each other, a year since they _touched_ hands, _felt_ it each other…

“_Asha_\- Norra. I did not know you were assigned here” He said as calmly as possible without showing his uneasiness and excitement in seeing her. He still couldn’t grasp the situation; he couldn’t keep his fidgeting in control.

“Well, I didn’t know you were here either!” She had a wide smile on her face and her eyes twinkled with a form of excitement and doubt. “I’m… really happy to see you again, _Imzadi_…” She said telepathically, displaying a soft smile on her face.

“So am I, _Ashaya_” He replied mentally. He knew she would hear it, but he also knew she could sense his emotions for her, dare he say, his _feelings_…

“I’m sorry to interrupt but, have you two met before?” Kira eyed them suspiciously with a raised eyebrow.

“Yes, we went to the Academy together.” Skallor answered softly, to not let other depths of information to leak.

“Really?! That’s… great!” She clapped her hands together in trepidation. “So you two will work perfectly together!” Kira smiled widely and started walking towards his presumed quarters. “Oh, I almost forgot, your quarters are in front of each other.” Kira fully turned around and proceeded to miss their startled faces.

________________________________________________________________

As Norra laid on her bed, having finally finished unpacking, she thought about how long they hadn’t seen the other’s face, hadn’t even really talked, instead just a plain hello and surprise in meeting on a station. Norra pondered in her bed for a long time, wondering if he would ever let her touch him again the way she used to touch him. To comb her fingers through his thick black hair, to massage his back after a long session of training, of to touch two of her fingertips with his in a _Vulcan kiss_. She missed their interactions; she missed the way they worked so beautifully it was almost like clockwork, perfectly in tune with themselves, but no more. They were no longer together. Together, she thought, how could a word as simple as that describe what they truly were? It never could, what they had was so much more than a plain commitment, it was a bond, a bond so strong that when they separated, she felt broken.

These thoughts rushed to her head and the only way they found to cease them was to go directly to their source, Skallor. She jumped out of her bed and walked towards his quarters, crossing the now empty corridor to press on his door chime. She waited restless for a faint “Come in” to be heard from the inside, and so she did.

When she entered the room, Skallor eyed her softly, almost fondly, but he would never admit the later.

“Can we talk?” Norra asked him softly, diverting her eyes from the hard stare he was giving her. But she couldn’t back up now, there was no turning back.

“Of course, what do you wish to talk about?” He asked, trying to keep his stare and voice as cold as he could to not show his apprehensive posture.

“What do think, huh?!” She asked his incredulously, raising her arms in the air and then putting them back against her sides. “Sometimes I think you’re actually trying to be funny and telling jokes, _Imzadi_” She sighed and raised a hand to her forehead.

“You still insist in calling me that nickname. It is illogical, even when we have…” Skallor hesitated, he couldn’t bring himself to say it, it hurt too much. It hurt to truly acknowledge their separation, he too didn’t believe their relationship to have been just _‘dating’_, so _‘broken up’_ was not the appropriate expression.

“As much as you try to deny it, we’re both still very much in love, I can _feel_ it pouring out of you, I can _hear_ your love for me all around here, so until you can prove to me that you don’t love me anymore, I’ll still call you my _Beloved_!” She shouted angrily at him, not being able to contain her emotions anymore as she stared deeply into his ice blue eyes.

To everyone else, those were like blocks of ice, but never to her. To her they held nothing but warmth.

“I will not be able to argument with you, will I?” He raised an eyebrow in questioning. “As I explained to you at the Academy, we cannot be in a relationship. My parents do not approve and I will not go against their choices, as I am their son. I can understand that your feelings still prevail, but you must not make them my own. _Ashaya_, I have also loved you and called you my _Love_, but we cannot do that anymore. I have sensed your hurt, but I cannot do anything about it” He said calmly, to not upset her more then she already was. His mother was very clear when she told him he already had a mate in Vulcan, and he would not require another, especially an alien one.

“Well!” She laughed angrily. “You really ‘cannot’ do anything at all, right? Let me tell you something, I can’t give up this, I can’t let go of you, of what we have, it’s…too hard.” The last part was a mere whisper. Tears were already cascading down her cheeks and they wouldn’t stop, even as she tried to wipe them continuously with her hand.

Skallor was frozen on his spot. He hated when she cried, to watch her tears were like to watch somebody dear to him die. And he hated it even more as he knew he was the cause of her tears. But as much as he wanted to jump straight at her and cradle her in his arms, fill her face with kissed and just hold her close to him, he knew that was illogical, and he would not deceive his mother. He could only watch as she sobbed loudly, breaking down right in front of him.

“You know” She said between sobs. “I thought you might have changed since last year, but I was wrong. Ha, how wrong was I…” She wiped her tears and finally stopped crying after a deep breath. “Well, have a good night, Ensign Skallor” She rushed out of his room and into hers as fast as she could and he just stared with broken eyes at the door. _‘I will have to meditate on this later.’_ He thought.

________________________________________________________________

When morning came, Norra was already in the Operations con conducting an analysis of the systems of the station. She needed to take her mind off of Skallor and there was two ways she could do this, work and dating. She had already set eyes on an Ensign Shera Sosha, a Bajoran recently added to the medical crew. She had green eyes and a lovely redheaded main, and she was also very attracted to Norra. Well, who could resist a hot Betazoid like her.

But all the thought suddenly stopped when Skallor walked to the bridge, and they couldn’t tear their eyes from each other until Norra tore her gaze away from his. If she were to work normally she wouldn’t be able to do it with him eyeing her continuously.

Skallor diverted his eyes and seamless moved to his position. He was working as science officer on the station, as he was the valedictorian in his class and received this assignment.

Still, neither of the two would be able to keep this game of theirs. Their feelings where too much for them to ignore, and this would keep going on until one of them just gives up or found somebody new. That was Skallor’s biggest fear. He knew he had no claim over her anymore so she would obviously find another to lover but after a year he still couldn’t grasp the fact on someone else being with her. He also knew he couldn’t be with her too so he preferred to isolate himself than ever discuss this matter with Norra.

________________________________________________________________

_“Kira to Ensign Troi. Report to my ready room.” _

To say Norra was anxious was far from the truth, she was terrified. Never once in the two weeks she had been on the station had Kira called her like that. Of course she delivered her usual reports to the Colonel but Kira had never directly called her.

She entered the room and she found Kira staring deeply into her eyes. That moment, Norra knew, in a way, why she was called there. She knew she was going to be asked a question, a question she dreaded. She knew she should have been more ‘civilized’ in crossing the corridor last night. Norra had known in almost certainty when she heard the thoughts of her colleagues accidentally.

“You didn’t just ‘go to the academy together’ did you?”


	2. Come in

Norra entered the room swiftly, not to direct any attention at her. She was truly terrified as she was at this moment, she knew why she was there and she dreaded it.

“So, what really happened between you two? You just don’t scream at a person for just studying with someone” Kira sat at her chair with a raised brow.

“Colonel, this is... a really personal question.” Norra stayed locked into her position. She was so nervous she couldn’t even move, she diverted her eyes to the tennis ball on top of the table. Captain Sisko. She heard stories about the man, the man who saved the Alpha Quadrant from the Dominion. She wondered how it would have been like to have worked under him.

“Well, I want to know because it might affect your performance. You’ve been heard by ALL the personnel on corridor 10. Troi, you can tell me” Kira smiled at her, gesturing from her to sit on the chair in front of her table.

“Skallor and I… dated back in the Academy. He broke it up but…” Norra sighed and looked up trying to find her words. “I **know** he still loves me. I’m a Betazoid, I can hear his thoughts! And it frustrates me because he keeps acting like he doesn’t!” She exclaimed loudly and sighed again, placing her hand on her forehead. “I’m sorry. I know this isn’t your problem and I’ll keep this under control”

“I know how you feel. This man I loved way back, he tried to lie to his feelings for me. Eventually we got together, so” Kira stopped placed her hands on the table. “Why won’t you?”

“He says it’s because he already has a mate back in Vulcan. He **also** told me his mother didn’t approve of us, so like a good little son he decided to break up with me and just like that we weren’t together anymore and he just left me there, like a foolish girl crying in the middle of the training room. Sir you have no idea how stupid I looked when some cadets walked in, their senior crying like a baby. It made so angry at him and I couldn’t do anything about it! That stupid Vulcan broke my heart and I couldn’t do anything about!” When Norra finished her rant, Kira had an understanding expression on her face. She held out her hand and held Norra’s.

Kira was very surprised. She knew Betazoid were warm and emotional but this was totally unexpected. Norra poured her feelings to her, at least she was honest.

“That famous diplomat, Sarek, he didn’t care, did he? He got in a relationship with a human, and if my knowledge of Vulcans is right, he also had a mate prior to the human woman” Kira didn’t really know the circumstances but she knew he had a human lover.

“Yes he did, but his first mate was dead before he married Amanda Grayson. Skallor still has a mate and she’s Vulcan. She can really understand him. Of course, I do know him very well, he shared things with me and I with him but it could never compare to a Vulcan bond.” Norra explained with a sad look on her eyes. Suddenly she rose from her seat. “I’m sorry for taking your time, Colonel”

“No!” Kira also rose from her seat quickly. “No. I’m glad to have heard your…rant” She laughed a little. “Whenever you need to talk, come to me.”

“Thank You Colonel” Norra smiled and walked out of the office with a smile on her face. It had been a long time since she had talked like this to anyone. She usually found best to keep her feelings to herself around non-betazoids, she only showed her true emotions when she felt comfortable around someone enough to talk about more serious topics. She preferred to keep silent unlike her aunt Lwaxana Troi. Norra had few friends and was rather shy for a Betazoid, so it was a surprise when she started dating the Vulcan. But they bonded over they shared exclusion and decided it was better to spend their time together rather than alone at their respective quarters. They would talk for hours on end about minor occurrences during their days, never being bored with the words that were spoken. Other things were also done, things a Betazoid would be proud of and a Vulcan ashamed, but those two were neither. All they felt was their love for each other, overflowing the room with passionate sound as both drowned in pleasure.

________________________________________________________________

And again she was, thinking about the past. Kira allowed her to stay in her quarters for the day and again, she laid on her bed thinking about Skallor. Norra knew it was a foolish thing to do so she got up and was ready to send her usual messages to her mother when she heard the door chime. Puzzled, she decided to answer.

“Come in” She said and her eyes widened in surprise when the Vulcan she was thinking so much about lately waltzed into the room with his usual serious look, but Norra knew something was worrying him.

“We need to talk.” Skallor said, still in a stiff position, not moving at all since entering the room.

“Yeah” She whispered, directing her look towards the ground. “Sit” She pointed to the chairs and they both sat, waiting for the other to start speaking.

“I have been… thinking about our relationship, and how we should try to keep as far away from each other as possible. Our performance on our respective work would be undermined if we continue the way it is. I understand how hard it must be for you, the same it is for me, but I do not believe there is an alternative” He bluntly explains to her while she only nods through the whole speech, struggling to keep her calm while she listened to his words.

“I totally agree. Just one little thing, don’t you think that’s exactly what I’ve been trying to do? You know, I took this post because I thought you wouldn’t want to waste your talents in a nowhere station, but then you suddenly appear and all that’s on my mind is **you**! Also, it won’t be as easy as you think to just not think about each other” With impatience eating her up, she gets up and straddles Skallor’s lap, the tips of his ears blushing green. “All I wanna’ do is kiss you”

She locks her lips with his, diving her tongue into his mouth. He tries to resist but he cannot, her presence so close to him, her hands running through his body, connecting their minds, it makes him grasp her waist in his hands and grip her tightly, bringing her even closer to him. Norra runs her hands through his hair, dishevelling it but none of them seemed to care. Too lost in their passion, giving in their wants and needs, neither wanted to stop. Both knew they had to, as keeping this up would only lead to heartbreak for the pair, but they couldn’t end it.

Skallor picks her up and drops her on the bed. Soon after climbing on top of her, continuing their deep kissing. The once colder room now felt hot, as she ripped his shirt out of him, switching positions. Now on top, she fills his neck with bites and kisses, running her tongue along his collar, going lower into his chest, kissing it slowly as gentle moans escaped his lips.

“Norra” He moans her name, gripping her hair as she moved lower into his body. “It feels… so good” He moans again, his blush now present along his face.

During these moments with Norra he always felt incredibly emotional. Even with his meditations he still couldn’t bring himself to stop moaning her name when they made love. She always brought out his emotional side, making him feel like a silly human boy, feelings flying everywhere, but he didn’t hate it, he **loved** it. Norra aimed for his pleasure and he for hers, it was never one-sided. He would moan her name for everyone to hear and she would scream his, they were made for each other.

Again they switched positions, now he was biting her throat. He still loved the feeling of filling her with bite-marks, marking her as his. The thought of her displaying these marks brought chills to his soul, showing the universe that she already belonged to someone ,‘mine’ was constantly on his mind when he saw those beautiful symbols of their love. It made it seems like _they_ were permanent, not just some fling to satiate desires, oh it was never like that to them. They desired each other fully, body, mind and soul. Skallor only trusted her enough to see him in a vulnerable position such as under her when she rode him, or when he was feeling sad she would be there to comfort him, their souls were as one during those marvellous Academy years. He missed it all deeply, the calm days where they would do nothing, or the ones that they would make love until Norra couldn’t stand up anymore, the ones where he would hug her when she cried, the ones they sat in silence contemplating their love.

Skallor’s hands reached the hem of her shirt and-

“Kira to Ensign Troi”


	3. An experience

“Kira to Ensign Troi” 

Norra slightly moved away from Skallor, switching positions and straddling his lap. She grinded over his crotch and he moaned. She smiled, pleased with herself, proceeding to tap her combadge.

“Troi here” She answered, smugly looking down at Skallor, whose cheeks had an almost bright green blush. Norra ran her hands along his chest and he let out an almost soundless moan.

“It seems like you have a visitor. Meet me on airlock 6 in three minutes. Kira out” Short and curt as always, Norra could only wander who would come visit her in a faraway station and only three names came to mind, Deanna, Lwaxana or Rwiara Troi, her family.

“So, Skallor” She moved to kiss his neck “It seems like we’ll have to postpone our thing here. Don’t be mistaken dear, I would love to continue this right now but you heard the Colonel.” She rose again and smiled down at him. “I still love you”

“Yes.” He also rose up and passionately kissed her lips. “I also love you still.” Skallor caressed her cheek slowly; reminiscent of past times where acts like these would happen normally without the worries of his family not approving of them. He was deeply saddened by letting her go, now he had to accept the facts; in truth he would very much like to continue what they were doing, but it was not possible. “But we cannot-”

“I know” She interrupted him and got up, stopping at the door and turning towards him. “Good luck covering those marks, _Imzadi_” She walked out of the room, once again leaving the Vulcan blushing, hearing a faint _Ashaya_ before the door closed.

Norra had no problems in leaving him alone in her room. She trusted him enough and she knew he would never touch anything without asking first.

Touching was very important to Vulcans, she knew that. That is why when he first touched her hands she was incredibly pleased, she remembered smiling widely and feeling his happiness too. _Good times_, she thought. She knew he missed those times too but she decided to not press on it, they would need to have a talk later, now she had to figure out who came to visit her and why.

________________________________________________________________

As she got closer and closer to the airlock she could hear a very loud laugh she would recognize everywhere, a laugh a starship captain would cringe at. She wasn’t even in front of the airlock when a woman she knew very well exclaimed her name for everyone to hear.

“Ah! My dearest Norra, come here, let me see you!” Lwaxana Troi exclaimed loudly, extending her arms in front of her to grasp her niece in her arms. She was wearing quite an exquisite dress as always, this one was blue with splashes of white, quite bulky too.

“Hello Aunty, it’s been a while hasn’t it?” Norra tried her best to not be embarrassed by her dear aunt, smiling at her as Lwaxana cradled Norra’s head in her arms.

“My, how you’ve grown! I haven’t seen you in 6 months. Betazed hasn’t been the same without honey.” Lwaxana smiled widely and tangled her niece’s arm with hers.

“Seems like you too will do great without me.” Kira slightly bowed to Lwaxana. “Ambassador” She said and started walking away, probably to the bridge.

“Since all that boring diplomacy is over, would you care to take me to the promenade honey? Even without Odo here I still missed this place” She tightened her hold on Norra and the latter started walking. “Oh, and how’s that Vulcan lover of yours, I’ve heard he’s also working here”

“Aunty I told you, we’ve ended our bond before we finished the Academy” Norra despised when Lwaxana started talking about her relationships. Norra’s loves weren’t to be displayed and spread around all Betazed. She absolutely despised when people would tell her mother and said woman would question her to no end. Rwiara made her sit down and talk with her dear mother when she found out Norra was dating a Vulcan, _‘A Vulcan for the four deities’ sake!’._ To say she was unhappy would be an understatement, of course her mother approved of interspecies relationships but she said a Vulcan was a stretch. Her mother said that a Vulcan was too cold and emotionless for a young Betazoid woman like her waste her time in, saying she would be better off with a human or even a Klingon, at least someone more passionate. Since this very talk, she and Rwiara haven’t spoken, as Norra found it outrageous that her mother even said such things, she had no right to question who she loved. Still, Norra enjoys talking with her aunt who has been there for her since she was a baby, always encouraging her to befriend different people, and sometimes to join in more intimate relationships, anyhow she was happy to see her aunt again.

“Oh honey” She started, telepathically. “I know when someone is in love” Lwaxana smirked at her, slightly nudging her to the side.

“Aunty, his family didn’t approve and as you know so didn’t my mother. Of course we still love each other deeply but I see no point in dwelling on it. He also agrees with me” Norra answered back to her aunt, starting to be annoyed with her questioning.

“Honey, from what you told me of him, he would always agree with you. You two have a bond, it can’t be so easily broken. He may try to tell you otherwise but I’m sure you already know the truth, you must have felt it through your bond. Honey” Lwaxana stopped and held her in place, now speaking loudly. “He loves you and you love him, I know it won’t be easy just as it was with our uncle, but trust me, it will be worth it. Your relationship is worth the hardships, worth the heartbreaks, worth the compromises, it’s worth it all. All of it will bring both of you unimaginable joy, a sense of…wonder, a wonder that’s marvellous and ineffable, a wonder you truly feel in your heart. My dear, what you and that pointy-ears have is… beautiful. Fight for each other, don’t you let go of him, he is one of a kind, and so are you”

Norra smiled fondly to her aunt, nodding her head and continued to walk in the promenade, unknowingly to her a certain Vulcan had watched all of it, and his feelings resonated with hers, a harmony so beautiful none could ignore.

An _experience_.

An experience he would be glad to share with her. No matter what his mother thought, he did not care, he loved Norra, he loved her like he never loved anyone or anything before. She was his sun and he, her moon. She shined brightly even though she wasn’t much of a talker, but she illuminated his view of the universe, and he would always accompany her, through thick and thin. The universe seemed to bring them together, the Academy days when they met in a class she was failing and he was not, when they studied together, those studying sessions escalated and _they_ became more than just study buddies, they became lovers, and then he bonded with her, his hands on her temples, melding with her, in that moment he knew they would be together for a long time, even when his mother intervened and demanded that they broke apart, the universe defied her, sending both of them to Deep Space Nine, to meet again, to love again, but this time he would not let her go, not again, they must fight for their love, for their bond. He would not allow for them to be separated again, he would not stand by and watch it unfold in front of his eyes and do nothing. 

Skallor had decided, this time things would be on their terms, not other people’s.

________________________________________________________________

Alone in her quarters after a tiring day of duty, Norra pondered about her aunts words. She wished to be in a relationship with him again. Not long after, she felt a presence, a set of feelings similar to hers and she knew a certain Vulcan was close by, so she wasn’t exactly surprised when her door chime went off, signalling the arrival of someone who she knew very well.

She got up from her chair and walked to the door, “Come in”, she said, the door opened, Skallor was standing there, a blush present on his face.

“_Ashaya_”


	4. Nash-ve ashaya du

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Contains mature content, you have been warned.

“_Ashaya_, I overheard your conversation with your aunt” Skallor walks closer to Norra, the latter staring at him wide-eyed, surprise and embarrassment painting her face.

“You did? I uh…” Norra blabbered a few inconsistent words until Skallor interrupts her.

“I agree with her. We should-”

“Kira to Ensigns Troi and Skallor. Report to airlock 7” Kira’s voice echoed in the room, both of them in silence.

“We always seem to get interrupted like that huh” Norra giggled and raised her hand to rub his cheek with her thumb lightly.

“Yes, we do” He agrees, reaching up to grasp her hand in his own, holding it tightly. “We will talk about this later.”

The two walk side by side to the airlock almost touching hands. Both of them having to hold back from jumping on each other and kissing right in the middle of the corridor. They sneak a few kisses and touches in the turbolift almost getting caught by Doctor Julian Bashir -a friend Norra had made a few days after starting to work aboard the station, rapidly stepping away from each other.

“So… you and Skallor” Julian thought, hoping that Norra would hear him, and she did, her cheeks slightly reddened, her eyes drifting away from the two men around her.

“Yes, and you better be quiet about it.” She responded to him telepathically, her brows turning downwards and her expression changing into one of anger. Julian got out of the turbolift with a smirk on his face and Skallor quickly noticed Norra’s discomfort.

“Are you alright, _Ashaya_?” He questioned her, slowly turning his head to have a better look on her face. Skallor worried that something had happened between Norra and the doctor, he knew that they were not in a relationship and she could do whatever she wished with her love live, but he still felt a pang of jealousy when he thought of Norra and someone else.

“Yes, I’m quite alright _Imzadi_, there’s no need to worry about me” Again she caressed his cheek with her thumb, an action she would do constantly to alleviate his worries. Skallor always felt calmer when she did that, being able to completely relax around her, an attribute he would hold her dear for. The two shared a complete trust in each other, something other couples would definitely be jealous of. Still, neither could stop the feeling of slight jealousy when some other would compliment their lover, but both were sure none would take them away from each other.

________________________________________________________________

“A few light-years away a planet was recently discovered, I want you both to collect soil samples and report back here in 8 hours” Kira handed both of them PADDs containing what they would need to analyse and winked to Norra before leaving the airlock, the latter blushing profusely.

“So” Norra started slowly. “Seems like we got a mission. Chat in the runabout?”

“Affirmative.” Skallor nodded and they entered the runabout. He had seen Kira’s wink to Norra and started questioning things inside his head. _Were they involved in the past_? Highly unlikely. What was that about then? He had absolutely no idea and it _annoyed_ him, Skallor disliked to be in doubt, not knowing things.

Norra sat in the left seat, proceeding to turn on the thrusters and slowly move away from the station. Skallor sat on the right seat, tapping some codes in the panels of the runabout then turning towards her.

“_Ashaya_, I realized that what we feel for each other should not be ignored. I understand that my mother wishes that we stay apart as we are now but I believe I will not be able to comply with that order. Without you I am lost, I cannot function normally, as you have seen, I cannot keep my eyes away from you. No one else has caused such feelings in my person. I cannot _live_ without you _Ashaya_.” Skallor said, placing a hand on her tight. Norra’s eyes were wide, tears forming in the corner of her eyes, she brought her hands up to her face and wiped the unshed tears from her eyes, rising up and sitting on Skallor’s lap. She clashed her lips with his, shoving her tongue in his mouth, running her hands through his hair in a frantic manner. He wrapped his arms around her waist and tugged her body closer to his. The two kissed frantically for a few minutes before Skallor rose up, still with Norra in his arms and dropped her in the console in front of them. He moved his lips to her neck and filled it with new bite-marks to replace the now fading older ones, she moaned loudly in response, wrapping her legs around his waist, rubbing her core against the bulge present in his pants. Skallor ripped her over and undershirt away from Norra and moved his kissing and biting to the region between her boobs, reaching behind her to unclasp her bra and tossing it into the ground. He attacked her nipples and she screamed his name, gripping his hair tightly, he knew _all_ of her pleasure points and he used them to bring her the highest level of pleasure every time they did it. Skallor removed her pants and slowly rubbed his finger up and down her clothed core.

“_Oh_! I almost forgot _AH!, _how good this felt” Norra moaned and Skallor slid her panties down her legs, removing it and tossing it on the other side of the runabout.

“Tell me more, _Ashaya_.” He said before diving in between her legs and giving her pussy a long lick. Skallor started to lick it up and down, moving a finger in a circular motion on her clit, he shoved his tongue inside and she screamed

“_Imzadi! _I love how you,” She moaned again. “_Fuck, _I love it when you eat me out like this, so good!”

“Is that so?” He removed himself from between her legs and discarded his entire outfit, leaving him naked. Skallor closed the space between them, inserting his cock inside of her. Both of them moaned in satisfaction, he trusted in slowly, neither wanted it to end soon so they didn’t rush, feeling the others emotions through their tough, so close neither could hide their true emotions.

Norra could _hear_ Skallor’s passion for her echoing inside her head, she could _feel_ his feelings for her, deep and uncontained during their lovemaking. She felt as if all the walls he had built in his mind had just fallen and she was able to distinguish everything he was feeling at the moment, his fear of harming her accidently or his deep desire to make her whither in passion.

_“Skallor! I love you!” _She said telepathically to him, his acknowledgment came in the form of a purr followed by a moan.

_“Ashaya” _He purred back to her, trusting faster, making her moan even louder.

He continued his trusts, also rubbing his fingers quickly on her clit, soon making her scream and subsequently cum, shaking in pleasure, him following not long after, cumming inside of her, painting her walls with his seed. She moved her hand to his face with difficulty, placing it in his cheek, she smiled at him, and he smiled back, a _Vulcan_ smile.

“_Nash-ve ashaya du.” _Skallor said, _I love you_, in Vulcan. To say this to a mate meant a deep kind of commitment, something he was willing to give to _his _Norra.

“I love you to, my _Imzadi_.” Norra’s smile widened, knowing what it meant for him to be saying those words to her, something he hadn’t done before.

They slowly dressed back up, glancing at each other warmly, after being fully dresses, she wrapped her arms around his waist, smiling up at him.

“What does this mean for us, my love?” She still kept her smile on her face, tugging him closer. Skallor placed his hands on her face, bringing it closer to his.

“I will make a compromise. We will continue our relationship, unfortunately it must be kept secret. I would love to show the universe you are _mine_, but my mother would not allow that, as such, she will not have to know. I love thee, _Ashaya_, I would never wish to hurt you by keeping our love secret but I am afraid there is no avoiding it. Do you agree with the condition?” Skallor explained to her, now it was him that rubbed her cheek with his thumb.

“Of course. I am _yours_, _Imzadi_” Norra smiled and tightened her hold on him. “I think we should collect those soil samples before we have no more time and Kira starts suspecting of us”

________________________________________________________________

When they returned to the station, Norra’s hand was ghosting over his, trying not to touch him. He explicitly said their relationship should be kept secret and she was trying her best not to show her love for him.

“_Skallor, I want to kiss you so bad!_” Norra said to him through their bond mentally.

“_So do I, Ashaya, but please refrain to do so. You agreed to our compromise”_ He answered back to her.

Just as they walked out of the airlock, they were faced with a Vulcan woman, she looked older and by Skallor’s sudden uneasiness, Norra figured she was Skallor’s mother, T’sharra. Norra had never met the woman in person, but by Skallor’s descriptions of her she seemed like a scary woman who had way too much control over her son.

“My child” She raised her hand in the Vulcan salute, Skallor doing the same. “Ensign.” She turned towards Norra, still doing the salute, Norra slightly bowed to her. “We have much to discuss, son”


	5. “I cherish thee, Ashaya.”

“We have much to discuss, son” Said T’sharra, her eyes purely emotionless but Norra could tell from her thoughts she was distressed.

“You did not inform me of your arrival to the station. Has something transpired in Vulcan?” Skallor questioned her. _‘Ashaya, do you also feel her concern?’ _He asked Norra, he knew his mother well enough to know something had happened.

“Yes, child. I have come to deliver the news of the unfortunate passing of your father” Skallor’s eyes widened, still showing no emotion, but he pulled his end of the bond with Norra, trying to claim some sort of safeness.

_‘I grieve with thee, Imzadi’ _She mentally replied to him, feeling his anguish and affliction amidst his ache.

“Mother, if it is not too much trouble, we must deliver the information contained on these PADDs to Colonel Kira, could we resume our conversation later?” He asked her, trying his best to hold his grief from pouring out right in front of his mother.

“Affirmative, meet with me in your quarters in nineteen hundred hours. Is that satisfactory?” His mother asked him, keeping her straight posture but still clearly worried about him.

Skallor nodded, saluting his mother and moving towards the bridge, Norra followed him suit. When T’sharra was out of sight she pulled him into a random empty control room and locked the door, she cradled Skallor’s face in her arms and pulled him to her chest, his arms tangled in her waist and soon she felt hot tears damping her uniform but she didn’t care, all she cared about was him.

“It’s alright, _Imzadi_, I’m here. You can let your feelings out; you can cry here, my love.” She ran her hands through his hair softly, kissing his temple. He tightened his hold on her and sobbed loudly.

“_Ashaya, nash-veh nemaiyo_. Nash-veh ri tor dva-tor nash-veh kupi tor nash rik' du” He thanked her, saying he could not have done it without out her. She looked at him with a raised brow.

“Done what?” Norra asked him, still puzzled. She had taken Vulcan classes on the Academy but she had no idea why he would say such thing; he had never demonstrated it and she had never felt it through their bond.

“Demonstrate feelings, Norra.” He wiped the tears off his cheeks and softly ran his hands through Norra’s hair. “Vulcans should keep their emotions at bay, but with you I recognize that you will still be here with me when I present them to you. _I cherish thee, Ashaya_, more than you perceive.” He told her, lifting his head off her shoulder and composing himself.

“You’re welcome” She linked her lips with his, kissing him softly. “Come on, we need to hand this over to Kira”

________________________________________________________________

He was truly afraid. It had been a while since Skallor had been afraid, about 13 years ago. He was 7 and he was on a meeting accompanying his father, he remembers it being boring so he decided to wander off into the dessert and a sand storm started. Skallor hid in a cave for hours and hours on end, he thought it was illogical to be afraid as the storm would eventually past but he was still truly terrified, he thought that he would never see his mother and father again and he cried, he sobbed and wailed until the storm passed and his father found him. His father, Syvian, cradled the little boy in his arms and whispered softly.

_“You are safe now, my son. I am here” Syvian whispered in his son’s ear, running his hand through the boy’s hair. _

Skallor’s memories of his father were very dear to him, the older Vulcan had always been there for him when he needed and now he was gone and Skallor was alone. No, not truly alone, he had Norra; he could trust her as she was his mate.

When he entered his room he found his mother sitting on his desk's chair. She stared at him with broken eyes.

“Skallor” She sat up and approached him slowly, cradling his head with her arms and bringing him to her chest. He wrapped his arms around her waist, like he did with Norra but this time he did not cry, his mother was too traditional to accept his tears, he knew that, but she still hugged him close, she knew **he** needed it and she was a woman who would do anything, even **die** for her son.

She pushed him back slightly, still holding him close to her, and placed her hand on his cheek. _Sadness, grief, love_, she passed these emotions to him, raw and untamed.

“Your father’s transport ship was attacked by a group of terrorist known as The Eternals. Starfleet is conducting an investigation into them but they found nothing, the report states that they operated an old ship from the 22nd century; it is unknown how they managed to obtain such ship or how they made it operational. Syvian perished when the transport was destroyed. _I grieve with thee_” T’sharra said, letting go of her son.

Skallor suddenly felt anger and he quickly pulled his walls up, blocking his mother from sensing it, he didn’t want her to know everything.

“_I grieve with thee_, Mother” He told her, raising his hand in the Vulcan salute as she started walking towards the door, saluting him back and moving out of his room.

“Skallor to Norra” He said after tapping his combadge. After not getting a response for a few minutes he started to worry.

“Computer, locate Ensign Troi.” Skallor was already a bit shaken with his father’s death even more know.

“Ensign Troi is in her quarters” The computer voiced and Skallor started walking towards her quarters. To say he was surprised when she whispered _come in_ and he entered the room is a heavy understatement.

“Hey” She said softly, with a towel around her neck and training clothes glued to her body because of the sweat.

“Why is your combadge not in your person? It is protocol” He asked her, brows furrowed slightly in concern

“Yes, _Imzadi_, I know it is. But do you really expect me to work out with that on my chest? It’s heavy when it’s not on the uniform.” Norra explained to him, walking closer and rubbing his cheek with her thumb. “How are holding up?”

“I am… still shaken” He replied, calming down because of her action.

“I know you’re trying to hide your thoughts from me but I can read them. You loved your dad, and you miss him, it’s okay to feel this way. I also know that you think because you’re Vulcan you need to keep your emotions hidden, but not with me. I can already hear your thoughts, you can _talk_ to me. _Imzadi_ it’s alright if you don’t want to but just know that I’m here for whatever you need. Skallor, I love you.” Norra said, kissing his cheek.

“_I cherish thee, Ashaya_.”


	6. “With pleasure, my love.”

The funeral was held on Vulcan, of course. Skallor wished Norra could attend with him but it was not possible. His family was a very traditional and old one, not accepting of aliens mixing into their culture, something Skallor was against, but he was too young and could not give his opinions on ‘elder’ matters. He decided it was best to go alone and he regretted every second of it. He missed Norra’s calming touch, something he very much relied on, and he also missed her kisses. Oh, what wouldn’t he do for those lips? Felling her close to him was the brightest time of his day, her voice so soothing would calm him down when he stressed, she said he pouted, he replied _“Vulcan’s don’t pout”_, she responded with “_You do!”_, an exchange Skallor holds very close to his hearth. Skallor needed her comforting presence the most on the funeral day, he felt as if he was lost on the memories he had shared with his father, not truly concentrating on the memorial.

When he got back to the stations he was feeling much better but he still missed her touch so the first thing he did when getting out of the airlock was rush to her quarters. Skallor knew her routine as she knew his, so he was sure she would be resting in her quarters now. He was walking fast, not too fast, but fast, exited to be in his betazoid’s loving arms. When she softly said _come in_, he entered the room.

“Welcome back, _Imzadi_” Norra smiled at him, getting up from her seat quickly and running to him. She jumped into his open arms, tangling her arms around his narrow waist. “I missed you.”

“So did I, _Ashaya_” He kissed her forehead tenderly then moved down to plant a deep kiss on her lips, licking her bottom lip, asking for an opening. She complied, parting her lips, welcoming his tongue inside her wet cavern. They passionately kissed, finally feeling each other after weeks of separation, finally being able to connect. Both missed their bond, of course they could still **feel** the other on their respective side of the bond, but truly experience their emotions- fears and loves, was something reserved for the moments when they were close, touching the other, felling their emotions through a seemingly simple touch, when in truth it was so much more than that. It was a link, binding the ones in it for what seems like forever.

“_Imzadi_” Norra said as he started taking off her uniform, she also took of her pants, leaving her standing there in only her underwear.

“_Ashaya_, you are so stunning.” Skallor placed a chaste kiss on her neck and swiftly unclasped her bra, letting the piece fall to the ground. He slowly rubbed her nipple and she moaned. “Such exquisite beauty, nothing can compare to you”

She moaned, watching him slowly take off his jacket and undershirt. After that he picked her up and dropped her on the bed, moving downwards to tenderly kiss the inside of her thighs. Skallor nonchalantly ran his finger through her clothed core, making her grunt.

“Please…” Norra whimpered, moving her hand to grasp his hair in her hand.

“Please what, my dear? You have to **tell** me.” He said looking up at her and she moaned, raising her back off the bed in pleasure.

“Please, make love to me” Norra said, looking at him with half-lidded eyes. Both her emotions and his were all over the place confusing her thoughts and leaving her filled with pleasure. She couldn’t think clearly, het thoughts drifted from her pleasure to his desires, confusing her.

“With pleasure, my love.” He plunged his fingers deep into her and she screamed in pleasure. He curled his fingers inside of her, watching her whine and moan he couldn’t help but purr, his desire was filling him to his core.

“Skallor!” Norra moaned loudly as she came, gripping the pillow behind her head tightly and raising her back off the bed. She panted trying to regain her breath, slowly making it return to normal.

He quickly moved to take off his pants but she grabbed his hands to stop him. Skallor tilted his head to the side, puzzled. Norra sighed and pulled him closer to her, bringing him to seat in front of her.

“I’m very horny too. But we need to talk about what happened.” Skallor diverted his eyes away from her and she groaned. “I know, we’re basically having sex right now but when you bottle up your emotions you start getting sloppy in the job and it makes me worry about you, _Imzadi_. Your father died, it’s only reasonable you talk about your feelings.” She ran her thumb against his cheek and he sighed softly.

“It left me quite distressed but I have been through the mourning process and my emotions have returned to their respective places. If you wish to engage more into this conversation later I will listen to you, _Ashaya_, but at this moment all I require is to be inside of you.” He softly pushed her back on the bed, discarding his pants and boxers, aligning his cook in front of her entrance. Skallor looked for permission and he received it in the form of a nod. He bottomed out inside her and she moaned.

“We will talk about- _ah! _it later.” He slowly but deeply trusted into her, both moaned and purred because of the felling of completion they were experiencing. When they were together both of them felt like the universe was their oyster, capable of doing anything they wanted if they were together. Nothing could compare to this feeling of pure connection, it was as if they were one body, it didn’t matter that they belonged to different species, different worlds, all that mattered was their passion and desire for each other. A desire that made separation insufferable making both miserable in the absence of the other, even as they tried to make these thoughts disappear during work, it was to no avail, they would still miss the other’s everything, touch, mind, body. Right know they were satiating this desire to fill the void left inside them these past days.

She moaned loudly when she came, clinging to Skallor’s back, dragging her nails against him leaving red marks behind. He followed suit, cumming deep inside her.

“I love you.” Norra said quietly, only for them to hear.

“I love you too, _Ashaya_.” He gently laid beside her on the bed, tugging her body closer to his. She curled into him, tightly gripping his back and pressing herself against his chest, planting a sweet kiss on his neck. Skallor picked the covers from the ground and gently placed them over himself and Norra, she hummed in delight, slowly dragging her nails against his back.

“I like this. No worries, nothing. Just us” She said warmly against his neck.

“So do I, my love. ‘Just us’ appears to be… most acceptable.” Skallor said, hugging her even closer to him, closing his eyes and falling into a calm slumber next to his lover.

________________________________________________________________

Her eyes opened slowly, her breathing was calm and she had finally rested. Norra felt so relaxed but still a bit sore after their love making. She loved when they cuddled like this- quiet and close together with nothing to do, just staying next to each other. She knew how hard it had been for him these past weeks with his father’s death and his need to visit Vulcan for the funeral. She also knew that he would never tell her what he was feeling, he was Vulcan after all, it would be too hard, but she didn’t need him to tell her, she always knew. Norra had felt that recently he had been very closed off and he still hadn’t talked about the funeral, also taking notice of how passionate the sex had been, not unusual but it was not always that it happened like this. Skallor preferred a slower pace to ‘appreciate her form’ but now he had been frantic, touching her rapidly so she figured he needed grounding. Touching was almost sacred for Vulcans, even though they don’t believe in the divine. The touch conveyed more than emotions, it was a deep trust on each other, something that binds them together, not allowing them to be apart for too long, Norra loved this appreciation for the touch Vulcans had, something the Betazoids didn’t. Since her parents’ divorce when she a child, her mother had been with many men and her touches always seemed to be meaningless, not that they weren’t true, but she knew her mother would simply jump from a man to another as quick as Norra could blink so she didn’t make any efforts to remember their names. She thought this was wrong, this meaningless touches, she always believed that if you loved someone you would care for them, even in a one-night stand you need to care for your lover in some way and Rwiara never did that and Norra despised this characteristic of her mother.

When Norra started going out with people, she always treated them with care, respect and some form of love. Norra tried to atone for her mother’s mistakes by doing the total opposite, investing care in relationships, always. So when she and the shy Vulcan fell in love, she tried to convey these feeling to him the best way she could. She always cuddled with him, trying to feel his emotions and pass hers to him, when he reciprocated she felt over the moon with total love for him, and she knew he felt the same.

“Hello, handsome.” Norra smiled at him as his eyelids fluttered open. Skallor slowly shifted to plant a soft kiss on her temple, running his hand down her hair.

“Hello, my love. I take you had a pleasant sleep?” He questioned, draping his arm across her naked waist, feeling her beauty marks across her back.

“Yeah, very much. And it’s all even better when I get to wake up to you pretty face.” She traced her finger on his very freckled face, connecting the dots while her swooned at her. “But… we still need to talk.”

“Norra.” He shifted his eyes away from her, trying to get away from the covers but she tugged on his arm and pulled him closer to her.

“I know you don’t like to talk about this kind of things. We could… mind meld.” Norra suggested and he kept staring. “If you want.”

He slowly raised his hands and placed them on the sides of her face, fingers both on her temple and on her jaw; he melded with her, sharing his pains with her. He showed her his childhood with his father when the two would hang out together; he showed her his teenage years when only his father approved of his wish to join his father and their talks they shared about how noble his wish was and how the only one who could decide was Skallor; he showed her the moment he told his father of his relationship with Norra and again he was the only one who stood beside him with his decision to be with Norra.

When they finished Norra had tears running down her cheeks, she bilked rapidly and wiped her tears away with the back of her hand. She sighed and cupped his cheek.

“He really loved you, baby.” Norra held his hand with hers, smiling softly. Skallor nodded, bringing his forehead to rest against hers. They stayed like that for a while, just sitting in silence.

“Norra, would you marry me?”


	7. The Scorpion

“Marry?! I- Oh my gods!” Norra quickly rose up from her sitting position and paced around the bedroom. “Are you asking me to-”

“No.” Skallor said, calmly. “My query was if you would ever consider marrying me, not at this moment, perhaps in a possible future.” He explained to her, offering his hand for her to take, and when she did, he gently guided her to sit next to him on the bed.

“Oh. Then yes, one day I would love to marry you, but we have mates for life. How would we deal with that? I know I would break my bond to be with you, but would you?” She looked at him hopefully but his expression didn’t change and at that moment she knew. “Oh, um… you wouldn’t huh?” Norra let out a sad chuckle and drifted her gaze away from him, turning it to the bed. She sighed and slowly sat up from the bed and started to put her clothes back on and Skallor rushed towards her.

“Norra you know I can’t just…” He tried to put her hands above hers to stop her from moving but it was to no avail, she continued to put her uniform.

“Yeah I know! I’m so tired of this!” She exclaimed loudly after finishing getting dressed. “You have no idea how much this hurts me, one minute you say you love me and scream my name when we are having sex and then the next you just shove it in my face that we could never be truly together so I don’t know why we keep doing this. I throw myself out there for you and I would give away my mate, the only thing that doesn’t make my mother truly hate me, and then you just stare at me with those blank eyes. Skallor, I can’t just read your mind every time you have something to say to me, I know it’s hard but I can’t, I just-” Norra sobbed and covered her mouth with her hand. Skallor moved to hold her but she pushed him back.

“I think.” Norra’s sigh broke as she breathed quickly. “I think we need some time apart again. I was offered a position on the Scorpion, that Prometheus class ship they launched a few months ago, I think I’m going to accept it.”

“Norra, please. I cannot be away from you for that long; it would be torture for both of us.” He held her hand and gently tugged her to him. “Please my love, do not leave me here alone. I cannot live without your sweet voice, your soft hands even though you are a brilliant fighter, your silk-soft hair or your comforting words to me when I, when I-” Skallor frantically moved to run his hands through her arm. He brought her hand to touch her cheek but she stayed unmoving.

“Skallor, I will always love you, but I think our relationship needs some working on. This time apart will be good for us, I’ve got to go now but I’ll come back, I promise.” She sadly smiled at him and left the room, leaving Skallor standing in the middle of the room with the sheets wrapped around his waist.

________________________________________________________________

“Kira, can I talk to you?” Norra asked her superior after entering her office.

“Of course, what is it?” Kira asked her, gesturing for Norra to sit in the chair in front of her. “Problems with Ensign Skallor?”

“Yes, but this is more than a stupid fight. I have been offered a transfer to the starship Scorpion and I’ve been thinking about it… I think I’m going to take it. It’s only a momentary transfer; I’ll be promoted to Lieutenant junior grade than I’ll be able to come back. My fights with Skallor have impeded my duty and I think that the best course of action for me would be to transfer.” Norra said, looking directly into Kira’s eyes. She was sure that this would be the best for their relationship right now. Spending sometime apart would hopefully make the tension less thick.

“I- I don’t know what to say. You’re my best Ensign and my friend and it’s hard to just let go of you but” Kira sighed and moved to hold Norra’s hand. “If you think that’s what you need, if you think a break it’s what you need, I won’t stop you. Just, make sure you’ll come back, okay?” She smiled at the ensign in front of her.

“Thank you, Kira. I don’t know what I’d do without your help.” Norra smiled and got up from her seat, going to her room to back her bags, but in the middle of the way there she changed her mind. _‘Quark! I can’t go without telling him goodbye’_. She quickly shifter around and walked to Quark’s bar where she would say her goodbyes to the Ferengi, who would most likely make a big deal out of it like he always did with Norra. Since her arrival at the station the two have bonded over their shared appreciation of money, often meeting at late hours to organize Quarks finances and play games of cards, something she deeply cherished.

“Ah! Norra, there you are! What is it for today? Some Vulcan port? I know you like that!” He smiled at her, banging the port against the bar, already serving her a cup. For some reason he never really charged her, maybe because he thought she was pretty, or their game nights, she didn’t know, after all Betazoids can’t read the minds of the Ferengi.

“Actually Quark, I came to say goodbye.” She drank her beverage as he stared at her dumbfounded.

“For a mission?” He raised his eyebrows and stared at her. “You never come to do that!”

“That’s right, it’s not for a mission. I’m getting transferred to a ship tomorrow. You know the Scorpion, the fancy new ship? Well, that’s the one and only.” Norra smiled sadly at him as his mouth stood agape and he stayed unmoving. She didn’t need to read his thought to know this would be a shock for him, they were really good friends.

“Transferred? You can’t be transferred, I need you here!” He exclaimed loudly, banging his fist on the bar counter. “You’re my best accountant.” He whispered, only for them to hear. No one could know he had been asking the help of a woman to help him with his money.

“I know, but I need some time apart from the _‘cold weirdo’_, as you call him. It’s been kinda hard lately, and before you tell me to just break up with him already you should know that I’ll also get promoted if I go.” She told him, taking another sip of her drink, shifting her head to the side as he glared at her. “Come on, Quark. I need this right know, I promise I’ll call.”

“You better, young lady!” He pointed at her and she laughed warmly at him, something she hadn’t done in hours and was totally unusual for her.

________________________________________________________________

“I know, Aunty. I just need some time away from him, that’s all.” She said loudly as she packed her bags. When she told Lwaxana the older woman instantly started lecturing.

“Honey, you only get a man like that once in a lifetime. He’s prepared to do anything for you! You should be grateful!” Lwaxana raised her arms in protest and stared at her niece with raised eyebrows through the screen.

“Not everything! I know we love each other and I would love to spend the rest of my life with him but I know he wouldn’t! **I **would let go of my mate and **he** didn’t even _think_ about saying no, he said in less than a second! If he really wanted to be with me he would have said yes, we would be with each other but no, he just can’t let go, it’s like his traditions control him, it’s so frustrating!” Norra blurted out, dropping one of her dresses roughly on her bag.

“You know it’s hard for a Vulcan to let go of traditions, if you didn’t know this you two wouldn’t even gotten together. Honey, you need to have more patience with him. And before you say anything, without the patience your relationship will go nowhere! You gave him lots of patience but he needs more of it, he’s Vulcan! But he loves you more than he’ll ever be able to admit so one day, when you’re both ready, you two may marry, have sweet little children with black eyes and pointy ears. Norra deary, if you think time is what you need, fine. But at least tell him goodbye, don’t leave the man more broken than he already is. Now, I must go. Good luck.” Lwaxana waved and placed a kiss on her hand than pressed it into the monitor, ending the call soon after.

Norra sighed, moving her hair away from her face, whipping the sweat away with the back of her hand. She was deeply conflicted but she wouldn’t change her mind, they needed this. But she thought her aunt was right in a way, she would give him a farewell.

________________________________________________________________

“Hi.” Norra said as she entered his room. Skallor could only stare at her with a blank look on his face, a method of trying to hide his emotions from her, a method that hadn’t worked in a long while. “I know we didn’t leave yesterday in good terms but, I came to say goodbye. If you didn’t mind” She walked closer to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. “I’d like to kiss you one last time before going. Please, _Imzadi_?”

“Yes.” He couldn’t say no to her, not now. Not now when they would be separated for a long time.

She brought her lips to his, moving her hands up to grasp his hair as he grabbed her tightly into a strong embrace. He drove his tongue inside her mouth, exploring every corner as she moaned his named almost soundlessly. He ran his hands through her back, bringing her closer to him, feeling her chest against his. Skallor hugged her in a way she hadn’t ever felt before, never had they kissed like this, never had they been so close, and at that moment she knew, after this they would be okay because she couldn’t live without his kisses. They kissed for almost 5 minutes, but still after latching out their lips they didn’t let go of their strong hug.

“When I back, I’ll want more kisses like these, _Imzadi_.” Norra whispered to him before placing her head in his chest and breathing in his scent, something she would dearly miss.

“I could never refuse you, _Ashaya_.” Skallor gripped her hair softly, smelling her shampoo and sighing softly. He knew he would crave her presence a lot, but he understood her point now. He would let her go, for now.

“See you soon, my love.” Norra smiled sadly, cradling his cheek one last time before going. One last comfort from his love.

________________________________________________________________

Norra stared at the station’s corridors for a long time, thinking of what she had experienced there for a whole month. So many different people with colourful personalities she would deeply miss on her time on the Scorpion. Quark with his funny and greedy way of life, Kira with her patience and unmatched strength, Julian with his friendship and kindness and most important of all the love of her life, Skallor, the Vulcan that made her heart beat faster but also fill it with heartbreak and pain but she still will always love. Skallor is like a pillar to her, hold her steady but cold as ice, but in time she started to understand that coldness and its meaning. How he would act like it didn’t affect him but still blush slightly, how he talked with her with a steady voice during their first date but she could _feel_ his uneasiness. She smiled in the corridors as she thought about all those beautiful memories swirling around her head. Norra started walking towards the airlock and was very surprised when she found Kira and Julian standing there, smiling at her.

“Oh…” She placed her hands around her mouth trying to avoid a sob to pass through. Julian’s eyes were watery, also trying to hold a sob as he walked to her and hugged her tightly.

“I’ll miss you, Mind reader.” Julian said against her ear as she laughed softly.

“So will I, dear doctor.” They separated from the hug and she gave his cheek a swift kiss.

“Take care out there” Kira also gave her a hug. “It’s not like the station, you’ll be moving all the time and it’s deep space, anything can happen’. You better come home in one piece!”

“I’ll try my best!” Norra exclaimed and laughed along with them. “Well, wish me luck!”

The young Betazoid woman walked into the corridor of the transport ship, an old Akira class, and she stared back at the station as the ship undocked and pushed away from the station. _‘Bye for now’_ she whispered as the station looked further and further away for her big black eyes which both shed silent tears.


	8. Of Healing and New Beginnings

0500 hours. That was the time Norra woke up. She sighed and moved to sit on the bed and brush her hair away from her face. _‘I guess this was harder than I thought’_, she pondered as she got up from her bed, slightly wobbling towards the replicator. Norra order _Jestral Tea_, her favourite cousin’s drink, something she used to calm herself down- a practice Norra adopted when she was younger and has been abiding by since.

She propped herself against the wall and slowly drank her tea with thoughts plaguing her head and making her curse silently. All that was on her mind was Skallor and she couldn’t help it from wandering towards the memory of him. When he softly placed his hands on her waist and pulled their chests flush against each other and he drove his tongue on her mouth making her moan loudly and grip his hair tightly- just the way he liked it, and elicit a heavenly moan from him that made her so we- _‘Stop!’_. Norra rapidly drank the remnants of her tea and walked towards the bed, plopping herself down on it and screaming on her pillow. She swore that she wouldn’t contact him, only on an extreme emergency, and now wasn’t it. If she succumbed to it this would be for nothing and she would have wasted a perfect position on DS9 for a very dangerous position on a starship. Space was still a mystery, one that she would like to solve, but because of this unknown it was incredibly dangerous.

“Computer, what time is it?” Norra scratched her eyes and yawned.

“0600 hours.”

“And what time is the Scorpion arriving?”

“0700 hours” The computer answered and Norra sighed loudly. She would definitely be bored senseless if she had to stay in her quarters for one single more minute.

Norra rapidly put on her uniform and headed to the bridge. It wasn’t very far away as a Nova class wasn’t exactly a big ship and you could get around it pretty fast and she wanted to do something, distract her, and she knew the captain, an old fling of hers. Captain Jenil Neer was a Trill that Norra met in the academy before Skallor. When they met Jenil was a lieutenant and had been transferred to earth recently. She was working in a research programme that Norra had signed up for and the two started a relationship. In the beggining, it was purely sexual in nature but it started to evolve and the two decided to break it off- both afraid of commitment at the time.

They agreed to stay friends and have since been talking about a meet-up but with Jenil being recently promoted to Captain, things got easier for them. With more free time, Jenil could arrange a meeting in DS9 for them and they did plan such meeting but with sheer luck, they found themselves in the same ship.

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“How much longer until we reach the rendezvous point, lieutenant?” Jenil asked her Conn officer as she crossed her legs and straightened her uniform.

“38 minutes, Sir.” They responded and she sighed.

“Stressed much?” Norra said and smirked as Jenil turned her head around quickly to face her.

“Welcome to the bridge, Ensign. Let’s go to my ready room?” Jenil raised her arm towards the room and they soon followed in. “You have the bridge Commander.”

“So” The Trill said as she walked into the ready room and sat down at her loveseat, patting the spot beside for Norra to sit in. “How’s it going back on Deep Space Nine?”

“Well” She sighed loudly. “Skallor and I have been fighting. You know how most Betazoids are bonded with another for life and so are Vulcans? I’m ready to give up my mate for him but he clearly wouldn’t. He told me so! And I have to just accept the fact that every 7 years he’ll go have sex with his mate and have children while I have to live without children and a mate that is only mine! Ugh!” Norra rapidly said as she waved her hand around gesturing her anger.

“You guys are really having problems, huh? What are you gonna’ do about it?” Jenil looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

“I decided it would be a good idea to spend some time apart. It’s been… hard lately, we don’t seem to agree on most things and I think we need time. Ever since the Academy our relationship has been going incredibly fast and we were young when we first started it and I think neither of us understands our own selves. I myself don’t know what I truly want, maybe a big family one day or maybe live on a different planet, all I know is I want _him _but that’s not enough, we both have to work on finding ourselves to then finally be together.” Norra enunciated and she rose up from the sofa in excitement.

“You really love him.” Jenil voiced out. An affirmation, not a question. As a joined Trill she understood what love meant and she was certain that those two were in love.

“Of course I do! But it would be unfair for both of us if I continued to go through with things the way they were. We need to spend some time apart no matter how hard it is even if all I want is to run into his arms and hug him to the end of times. I just wish it was easier.” Norra lamented and hung her head down. Jenil then rose from her seat and walked to her friend, placing her hand on Norra’s shoulder and slightly tightening her grip.

“I know how hard relationships can be, I’ve lived for over 400 years and the Neer symbiont has experienced thousands of relationships and not all of them have worked out but the ones that did needed effort from all the parties involved and I think what you two decided to do is admirable, not most people would do so. Trust me, it’s going to be okay. When this is over your relationship will certainly be more open and both of you will have a deeper understanding of each other and maybe he’ll be willing to give up his other mate the same way you’ll give up yours.” Jenil breathed out and bit her lip. “I may be the devil’s advocate now but you need to see his side to. Vulcan’s tend to follow their traditions without question and it’s hard for them to simply push them to the side. It’s hard to even believe he’s even in a relationship with you because according to tradition he shouldn’t even acknowledge its possibility. Be patient with him.”

Norra sighed and nodded, smiling slightly to her friend. “I’ll try my best but trust me, it won’t be easy. I guess part of it is my fault, being Betazoid. My mother always had incredibly high expectations of me and romance. She always told me both sides should be completely involved in the relationship, but the woman should always have the advantage and be obeyed because the female is the most powerful not the male. Hah, it’s funny actually, I never thought I would even entertain this idea and here I am, trying to change him, dominate him. And it’s so wrong! Ugh, even light-years away she still manages to make me her spitting image and annoy me to no ends!” Norra raised her voice and then sighed softly. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I always lose my temper when the subject is my mother. Oh, I forgot to tell you this but, Skallor asked me a very weird question, the one that started our argument. He asked me if I would consider marring him one day, but then at the next moment he said he couldn’t break his bond, I’m still puzzled.”

“That _is_ strange but, what if he wants to marry you but he can’t because of his culture? By what you told me over our messages he really loves you, and I doubt he would try to hurt you on purpose by doing what he did.” The Trill said, trying to offer some explanation to her friend whose eyebrows were pushed together in confusion. “You may have overreacted about all of this Norra. His emotions are betraying all he was ever taught and it is challenging him to accept you’re not Vulcan and _your _traditions are very different than his. He loves you enough to want to marry you but his traditions tell him he can’t break the bond, he’s clearly divided. I’ll say it again, you need to understand his side of things, use this trip for this.”

“Always the wise one, huh?” They both chuckled and reclined back on their seats, finally relaxing until the bridge notified them of the arrival of the Scorpion.

When Norra arrived back on the bridge she saw the marvel that was the Scorpion, NCC-75701. The Prometheus class starship was the pinnacle of Starfleet engineering, with its multi-vector assault mode which allowed the ship to split into three different parts that could really get a blow on the enemy.

“Captain, they’re hailing us.” Who Norra assumed was the first officer said and Jenil nodded to him.

“Put them through.” She said and turned towards the view screen.

“Captain Neer, it’s great to see you, you too Ensign Troi!” The woman who made the call was Captain Ayah Al Sadat, the commanding officer of the Scorpion. She has a very powerful stance and a permanent scowl on her face.

“You too Captain. I’m guessing you’re ready to transport Ensign Troi?” Jenil said with her always present smile on her face.

“When you’re ready for transport notify us, until then Ensign. Al Sadat out.” Captain Al Sadat nodded to Norra and turned off their signal.

“Well, I hope we get to see each other soon.” Jenil smiled to Norra and then they hugged. “You know the way to the transporter room.”

“I sure do. Bye Jenil.” Norra smiled to her friend and nodded to the rest of the bridge crew. She walked towards her quarters and arranged her bags, picking them up and giving a final look to her room. Norra walked to the transporter room sighing hopefully as she said _‘Energize’_ and she was transported away to her new assignment, her new beginning.

“Welcome to the Scorpion Ensign. I’m First Officer Lari Ilayea. Come with me, I’ll show you to your quarters.” Commander Lari was a dark haired, green eyed Bajoran woman with a spotless record- Norra had done her research.

“Thank you, Commander. Can I tell you something?” Norra received a simple nod in response. “I always admired the Bajoran nose creases. I think it is a beautiful addition to your physiology. I never got to say it to my commanding officer back on DS9 and looking at you now makes me miss her.”

“Firstly, thank you!” She smiled widely, apparently unaccustomed to compliments. “Secondly, it’s only normal to miss your former crew once you receive another assignment and if I know Colonel Kira, which I do since we grew up together, I think she would be very proud of you from daring to change. Also, remember that if you do well here, you’ll get a promotion, so eyes ahead, Ensign”

“Yes, ma’am!” Norra beamed happily and the both of them continued down the corridor towards her quarters.

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Norra had just settled in and she was again, restless. Spending time alone in her quarters started to become like torture very quickly. The silence seemed deafening as she laid on her back on the bed looking up at the ceiling in thought. Her mind raced from _‘how’s Skallor doing?’ _and _‘what’s the crew like?’_, and she rapidly realized that the longer she stayed alone in there, the more nervous she would become, so the Betazoid rose from her bed and decided to check the ship’s Mess hall.

As she walked through the hall ways, she felt a tap on her shoulder and as she turned around she was faced with a very familiar face, Deanna Troi.

“D! I thought you were serving aboard USS Titan! What are you doing here?” Norra exclaimed loudly as Deanna smiled softly at her. They hugged tightly before Deanna tucked a strand of Nora’s hair behind her ear.

“I am but I was attending a seminar on Betazed and the Scorpion was there so I asked for a transport. I’m glad to find you here though; it’s been a while since we’ve seen each other!” She smiled widely and gave Nora a slight side-hug. “What have you been up to?”

“Well, I accepted a post on the Scorpion so I could become a Lieutenant Junior Grade but I’m missing DS9.” Norra said with a longing look in her eyes.

“You’ll be back there in no time. By the way, how’s that Vulcan _friend_ of yours?” Deanna raised her eyebrows suggestively.

“I took this post because of our relationship too. To be really truthful, it was just because of our relationship, the promotion is just a bonus. It wasn’t going well between us and we decided to spend some time apart, but I’d rather not talk about it, maybe later. Can we talk about something else?” Deanna simply nodded as the two strode along the corridor. Deanna pondered what had happened between them but she decided not to question her cousin about it as she felt Norra’s uneasiness.

“I have heard news of my aunt back on Betazed. She broke up with her latest boyfriend in the middle of a street in the capital. I heard it was a complete mess. Insults were thrown around and everyone stared.” Norra chuckled slightly at that and placed her hand on her forehead.

“Always the hypocrite, huh! Hah, she always judged me for dating and now look at her.” Norra scoffed and walked even faster in the corridor. “She shifts from lover to lover without a care in the world, but she’s not wrong to do it, I am, and I care about all my lovers when in truth she doesn’t! Deanna you have no idea how much I hate that- I’m always the one in the wrong! Because I chose to love a Vulcan, who, mind you, loves me very much too, I am a degenerate fool for loving _‘an emotionless man’_! Skallor is far from emotionless, he’s kind and caring and when I need him… Ah, here I go again, talking about him. I said I wouldn’t but it just keeps coming up.” Norra sighed loudly and suddenly stopped walking. Her mind filled with sweet moments shared between them- when they first talked during a class they were paired together, the nervous moment when they introduced each other, or when they shared their first kiss, Norra planted her lips right on his because she was overcome with attraction, the time they ran through the hall of the Academy, hands locked in a tight hold, when they were late to class due to losing track of time making out in Skallor’s quarters, and their first time.

They were both so nervous but their love was so strong they couldn’t resist taking off their clothes and tossing them in the ground and soon after Skallor kissed every part of her body softly as she had would do for him after as she moved to kiss his cock and bob her head up and down on it as he came inside her mouth. She remembers him draping her on the bed and as he ate her out she whispered words of encouragement as he made her squirt on his face. Then, he slowly bottomed out inside her and followed with a slow pace of thrusts and her loud moans soon emerged and the both of them bathed in pleasure as their highs came and they achieved it together with full emotional connection.

“It’s alright to feel this way. I don’t know what happened between you two, but whatever did, you’ll get through it together and it will be okay. If you’re taking some time apart it must be because you thought it was good for your relationship and I know you Norra, you wouldn’t have done this if it wasn’t absolutely necessary. If you need someone to talk to, I’m right here.” Deanna smiled softly and the two continued to walk to the Mess hall in silence.

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Deanna brought Norra to a table full people chatting; the young Betazoid could see a Vulcan woman, two human men and three more human women. They were all too immersed in their talking that they didn’t even notice them approaching until Deanna placed a hand on one of the human man’s shoulders.

“Hello everyone, this is Ensign Norra Troi, she’s my cousin and new on this ship so be nice!” Deanna said as she patted her shoulder and went off to some other area of the ship.

“Well, I’m Kyle and this is Jenn, Maura, T’Lura and Matt! We all got posted here a week ago and Deanna was really nice to all of us, she’s a great counsellor!” Kyle and the rest of them smiled at Norra and she smiled back at them.

“It’s good to know I’ll have some friends here on the Scorpion! Can I?” She pointed to a seat next to Kyle and he nodded happily towards her. From what she could gather from him, he was a cheerful Ensign that worked very hard to achieve his goals and was very willing to make friends.

“Welcome to ship Ensign Troi, it is an honour to have another telepath on the ship.” T’Lura affirmed and nodded towards Norra. T’Lura had the same posture Skallor had when they first met; cold and composed like was expected from a Vulcan.

“It sure will be fun to have a Betazoid on board.” Maura smirked and winked at her. She seemed like a very flirty woman, sprawled on her chair in a careless manner as she eyed everyone on the Mess hall with half-lidded eyes and a smirk on her lips.

Matt simply nodded silently with no smile on his face. Norra felt a coldness oozing out of him. He was composed like T’Lura but from him there was more of a sense of isolation, like he preferred to be alone in his corner but made a sacrifice for his friends. Matt didn’t seem approachable at first glance but he was actually very kind and just as good as Kyle.

“Welcome.” Was all Jenn said, almost like a whisper. Jenn’s eyes diverted across the room nervously as leg twitched up and down quickly. _‘Nervous.’’. _Norra thought as she watched the girl’s eyes frantically scan the room.

_‘This should be fun!’ _


End file.
